Code Geass: "Battle for Kyushu"Review

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A new faction in the war appears, creating temporary alliances.

By Ramsey Isler

How many die-hard Code Geass fans gorged themselves on caffeine to stay up to watch this episode in Adult Swim's new asinine 5 A.M. slot? We're gonna guess not too many. But the joys of technology make even this grim situation bearable. Set your DVRs to accommodate the new schedule, folks. Or watch the latest episode on the Adult Swim website. Many outraged fans will probably send in letters of protest, but this latest schedule change is just another link in a long chain of events that indicate the network is dead set on shifting focus from action to comedy. Is action anime on Adult Swim on the path to extinction? Maybe. But, for now at least, Code Geass is still airing, so let's get on with the review.

This latest episode starts off fast with a former high-ranking Japanese politician declaring a coup d'etat to restore Japan as a sovereign nation. Zero and the Black Knights are forced to react to this situation. It's a very quick, no frills start to an episode that, in general, feels rushed.

After all this new rebellion stuff gets a hurried explanation, we switch back to the world of the Brittanians. Suzaku finally admits his repressed desire to be punished for killing his father to Euphemia as he gives up his knighthood. Though the scene reveals important information, it felt rushed. Yuri Lowenthal voiced Suzaku with an appropriate mix of guilt and conviction, but it all comes out really fast and with little reaction from Euphemia. This should've been a big, emotional moment for Euphemia and Suzaku's relationship, but instead it just felt like a quick info dump. Of course, this scene was just setup for Euphemia's later proclamation of love for Suzaku. Now that scene was interesting, mainly because it was a bit surprising, and it was certainly a change of pace to see Suzaku admit feelings for someone.

All of this lovey-dovey dialogue happens while Suzaku is in the middle of battle (cliché, but it works). Suzaku got a pardon from Schneizel for his dereliction of duty, which at first glance appears to make the whole cliffhanger from last week's episode nearly pointless, other than causing Suzaku to feel slightly guiltier for not being punished again. Later on it appears that Schneizel brushed everything away so that he could keep Suzaku around as a tool and send him on a suicidal mission with Lancelot. There's a little mystery here as Schneizel's true motivations/goals are still unknown. Did he have confidence that Suzaku would be victorious, or does he just view him as an expendable tool? Poor Suzaku might have bit the big one if Zero hadn't shown up in the increasingly interesting Gawain.

The award for best part of this episode easily goes to the battle in Kyushu. Suzuku and Lelouch finally play nice together and kick major ass in gloriously animated and cleverly directed battle scenes. Second place goes to the charming and somewhat awkward fireside chat with Nina and Euphie. Given Nina's intense crush, it's a wonder she didn't start dry humping Euphie right there. It wouldn't have been all that surprising after the festival of fanservice in the last episode. But alas, yet another golden opportunity was missed here.

This episode would have been so much better if its plot had been broken up into two episodes and allowed for more time to let the characters and plotlines develop fully. But with only five more episodes to go in Season One, things are bound to get more interesting.